I have a member on our lease that is getting on for this coming year that wants actual rules printed for him to sign. For example, he thinks just because he is paying, he can allow his grown sons to hunt when he isn't even there. Can someone send me what I would think are basic rules? My rules are already pretty basic and the other four on the lease understand basic lease rules. Thanks in advance. jason@ymstexas.com

I just went through this on a new lease and I think you need to nail this part down. For us, college-aged kids (still under parent's wing) can hunt the lease accompanied by their parent. Any kid not fitting into that category would need to have their own spot.

If interested, I don't mind summarizing our rules in an email. Just let me know.

I just went through this on a new lease and I think you need to nail this part down. For us, college-aged kids (still under parent's wing) can hunt the lease accompanied by their parent. Any kid not fitting into that category would need to have their own spot.

If interested, I don't mind summarizing our rules in an email. Just let me know.

Heck, 'anyone' you trust should be able to able to join you as a guest...but to expect 'any' guest be it blood, spouse or buddy to be able to have the lease to themselves like a paid member when not accompanied??

Written rules are a very good thing because there is less of an argument when someone breaks them. "Guest" rules vary from lease to to lease so you just need a rule that everyone agrees to. He is Joining the lease so he needs to abide by whatever rules you put in place or find somewhere else to hunt. There isn't a standard in terms of guest privileges. On our lease immediate family can hunt that includes fathers and adult sons and daughters, but the member must be present. We are all friends and this is the way we want it. If everyone agrees and it is in writing before they pay their money then no (less) problems.

There is no way I'd go one step farther with this person as a potential member. If you are the lease manager:
1. You should have written rules
2. You should be in charge and your decisions final and not subject to question.
3. If anyone has a problem, they should address it with you, but since #2 is in place, once a decision is rendered, that's it... end of discussion.

This guy is likely one that even though you apparently have gone over the rules is already trying to challenge them and likely will continue to do so. Or at the very least he's one of those guys that will always be pushing the edge...

There's a lot that is not in your post and I may be totally off base, but from what you've posted, this is how I would handle it...

I agree with the above stated opinions. We had a similar situation a year ago. Father wanted his son and grandson who were in for the holidays to be able to hunt. Not a problem...they hunt off of your tags. His response? "But they have hunting license, they can kill a buck too." No sir, they can kill YOUR buck, not an additional buck." His response? "But they bought licenses. They can kill a buck too" we went back and forth and it ended up with him upset that they couldn't kill what they wanted to. We finally got through (I think anyways, because he quit trying to get us to agree) when we told him that the elder member of the lease had 2 grown sons that were also on the lease. If everyone could bring their grown kids to hunt, the lease dues for those members would be refunded and they could now hunt with their father, and everyone would have to pay additional fees to cover the lost dues from those 2 spots

There is no way I'd go one step farther with this person as a potential member. If you are the lease manager:
1. You should have written rules
2. You should be in charge and your decisions final and not subject to question.
3. If anyone has a problem, they should address it with you, but since #2 is in place, once a decision is rendered, that's it... end of discussion.

This guy is likely one that even though you apparently have gone over the rules is already trying to challenge them and likely will continue to do so. Or at the very least he's one of those guys that will always be pushing the edge...

There's a lot that is not in your post and I may be totally off base, but from what you've posted, this is how I would handle it...

Yep...Or he will wind up griping about every little thing...Go to the next applicant

For example, he thinks just because he is paying, he can allow his grown sons to hunt when he isn't even there.

No way in hell....No guests allowed on property without paying member unless another member agrees to be responsible for him and his actions. I have found in most cases that the second part is rarely used because of the responsibility issues. Now lifelong friends have hosted other members teenage kids when "member Dad" couldn't go but that's a different kind of trust.

I'm OK with grown sons hunting off Dad's allotted lease tags (although I can understand some folks hesitation).......but they better adhere to the rules set forth on age and horns. I look at it like this....either the member is going to kill that deer or his son/daughter is going to that day. It makes me no difference who kills it as long as its within our rules and his tag allotment......but we are a little more family oriented too. Hell we bring grown guests (like I brought Skinny) to help out with mgmt deer/does.

I hunted up to my mid-30s on my Dad's MLD lease because I was mostly duck hunting. Probably hunted twice a year with him....and those rich old farts including my Dad wanted folks to come in and help them meet their MLD buck and doe requirements. We boys were happy to oblige and there was no butthurt on who was shooting what on that level later in the season.

There is no way I'd go one step farther with this person as a potential member. If you are the lease manager:
1. You should have written rules
2. You should be in charge and your decisions final and not subject to question.
3. If anyone has a problem, they should address it with you, but since #2 is in place, once a decision is rendered, that's it... end of discussion.

This guy is likely one that even though you apparently have gone over the rules is already trying to challenge them and likely will continue to do so. Or at the very least he's one of those guys that will always be pushing the edge...

There's a lot that is not in your post and I may be totally off base, but from what you've posted, this is how I would handle it...

THIS! Always have written rules so no one can question it. I always had a new member prospect read the rules & make sure there were no questions in my presence before I would consider letting them on.

You don't need someone else's rules. Just write out your rules as you and the existing members of the lease want them to be. Send a copy to the new guy, and let him know that if he isn't comfortable with them, then it's not too late for him to get his money back so he can go find another lease somewhere else.

Almost afraid to say anything because the last time this got brought up we were all called Nazis! ( even though some of the same people are on this thread now preaching the opposite LOL ) But yes you should absolutely have written rules that are crystal-clear without any doubt of what they are and there should also be crystal clear written repercussions if you break set rules and you should make them sign it and return it to you so when they tell you they didn't know you can show them their signed copy of the rules and regulations. To include things like if you're kicked off the lease you have x amount of time to get your property off or if you're not invited or you decide not to come next year you have till this date to remove your property etc. etc. in a perfect world everyone's always doing the right thing and being a good steward of the land and doing what's appropriate and best for the land but unfortunately there's too many people that always want to push the limits and screw it up for everybody else imo.

This is "that guy" as stated before me. We are getting off a lease with two of them. If you print the rules, he will find a loop hole. Shuck this guy like three day underwear or you WILL have problems.

We had this situation last year, one guy was letting his 16 year old son go to the lease by himself, he was all over our trail cameras riding around with his friends, smoking cigarettes in blinds, shooting stuff and not logging it in to the kill book...we had to get the landowner involved to put a stop to it. The printed rule read "All guests must be accompanied by a lease member at all times", the guy just didn't understand the difference between "lease member" and "family member" and "guest". We bought his spot for this year, little more money but a lot less worry.

I will be the first to say, I am not a fan of all kinds of lease rules. However, having written lease rules keeps everyone on the same page and understanding what is expected, for everyone.

I know it's your lease and you make the rules, that sentiment is evident on this thread, whether or not you put them in writing is the difference. Playing the devil's advocate, you may not want to post them as you could be a violater? The last two instances of lease rule infractions that I dealt with in SE Texas involved the lease managers breaking the very rules that they adamantly enforced to everyone else on the lease. It goes both ways. I can understand your point but written rules keep everyone on the same page.

Had to think about our "rules" at our family camp... we're pretty lighthearted!

At camp:
-have fun
-Cut wood if the stack is low
-Clean the dishes if you're leaving
-don't sit in my wife's field
-don't sit in my SIL's field
-don't lock the gate
-no beer cans in the trash (crush and recycle)

Hunting:
-have fun
-try to make it an 8 point or better and outside the ears (15") for adults. You'll get harrassed if you kill a dinky one...
-kids shoot any deer

Yeah....if you tell him he sons can't hunt an he wants a printed list of rules I'd tell him the fit isn't right and find a new guy

Have to agree with this, seems like a PITA to deal with. It's one thing to ask, "Hey, my son is on leave from the military, can he come hunt this weekend on one of my tags?" It's another to have the attitude that if you paid for something your entire family is entitled to it. It doesn't work that way at Golden Corral, and it doesn't at the lease, unless it's designated as "family friendly."

I don't think I would pay to join a lease without written rules (access, guests, etc.). It makes things much more clear between lessee and lessor.

I get where you're coming from as a stranger wanting to maintain a good reputation. I think in the OP's instance it's a case of him asking something like, "please don't shoot a bunch of pigs you're not willing to clean and eat, we like to save them for the kids", then the guy asks to see where that is written down, implying he will do whatever he wants.

I will be the first to say, I am not a fan of all kinds of lease rules. However, having written lease rules keeps everyone on the same page and understanding what is expected, for everyone.

I know it's your lease and you make the rules, that sentiment is evident on this thread, whether or not you put them in writing is the difference. Playing the devil's advocate, you may not want to post them as you could be a violater? The last two instances of lease rule infractions that I dealt with in SE Texas involved the lease managers breaking the very rules that they adamantly enforced to everyone else on the lease. It goes both ways. I can understand your point but written rules keep everyone on the same page.

I would go over the rules with him now and be on the same Page, or else down the line additional rules that weren't even gone over would randomly pop up and a lot of miss communication can be involved.

I agree with others. Write your own rules. If he even questions you or gives you a hard time about them, kick him to the curb immediately because it won't end there. Don't let him ruin the good thing you've got going with the others on the lease. Not worth it.